'Stupid' killer gets death term in UAE

Dubai, February 1, 2014

An Indian, described by his lawyer as the "most stupid" person he has ever seen, has been awarded a death sentence by a UAE court for murdering a maid, said a report.

The man, who worked as a cook for a UAE government official, killed the maid, with whom he had a relationship after she told him she was pregnant and threatened to report him for rape, three years ago.

He believed her claims even though they had never had sex, said a Times of India report citing local media.

The man, who was living in a villa near the maid's place of work in Abu Dhabi, met her while dumping rubbish in dustbins.

A few days later, as the cook was working on the roof, the maid saw him and called him over to her employer's house, who was away on holiday at the time, the report stated.

He went there and they had a "romantic time on the roof which did not exceed hugging", the defence lawyer said.

A week later he visited her again and she told him he had made her pregnant while threatening that she would accuse him of rape.

The cook, who was described by his lawyer as the "most stupid murderer" he has seen in 40 years, believed her.

He hit the maid on her head with a large stone thrice, killing her then placed her body in a bathtub filled with water and set the villa on fire to destroy the evidence. The villa was reduced to ashes, but the bathtub survived as it was filled with water,said the report.

The defendant was arrested after he went to his employer asking him to help him flee the country. But his employer reported him offering to pay defence expenses and blood money.

The case had been on hold since 2010 because the court could not locate the maid's family, the report added.